Game Of Thrones Adds Max Von Sydow For Key Role

Game of Thrones is a series with a parade of different characters for which they need many, many actors. However, in addition to being a series which continually introduces new characters, the HBO series also has a constant need to recast old ones. Such is the case again with the announcement that Max Von Sydow will be joining the cast in Season 6. He’s a new actor playing an old character, the Three-Eyed Raven.

Von Sydow will be taking over the role which was originally played by Stuan Rodger at the end of Season 4. Since the entire Bran Stark storyline was left hanging throughout Season 5, we haven’t seen the Three-Eyed Raven anytime recently. When we see the characters beyond the Wall again in Season 6, the character will have magically transformed into Max Von Sydow--quite an upgrade if we do say so ourselves. Here’s a picture of Rodger, in case you can’t remember that far back.

Von Sydow brings more than 50 years of acting experience to Game of Thrones. He's played roles ranging from Ming the Merciless in 1980’s Flash Gordon to The Diary of Anne Frank. EW's announcement indicates that Von Sydow is apparently already on set filming for the new season.

Recasting characters is par for the course with Game of Thrones, Aimee Richardson who played Myrcella Baratheon at the beginning of the series was replaced last year by Nell Tiger Free. The part of Gregor Clegane has been played by three different actors so far. The reasons for the recasting aren’t always clear, and there’s no mention of a reason in this case, either. It may be that Rodger wasn’t available or interested in the larger role for Season 6, or he may have always been meant to be a place holder, since he really only had the once scene in Season 4.

While Von Sydow is still not expected to have a great deal of screen time in Season 6, he brings his career and presence into the role and fans should be happy to see the character return to the small screen. This is the second major franchise he’s joined up recently, as he will also have a role in the upcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens. At 86 years old it’s great to see Max Von Sydow still out there and not just working, but working hard. His own career has been epic, so he’ll fit right in with an epic story like Game of Thrones We’ll see him in the role of the Three-Eyed Raven when Season 6 premieres on HBO sometime next year.